Photo sensor landscape light

brasilmom · 02-09-2009, 06:09 PM

Greetings,

We have one photo sensor light on our landscape that worked just fine last year. It sits on a medium height base and it has an outlet on the lower end of the base. So, all of the sudden I realize it was no longer coming on, so we did some investigating and there is no juice on the light or on the outlet. We tried to locate the breaker for it, but so far have not. Then, we had an electrician come to the house to finish some work and I mentioned that to him. He said that the photo sensor had condensation in it and it was probably the fault. So, after the weather improved a bit, my husband replaced the sensor and still no light and no juice. The outlet is yet to be replaced.... the weather is not giving us much break up here. Does anyone know what can be at fault here?

The outlet is a GFCI, it has a cover box. My husband said that there is no juice on that either. We cannot reset the outlet
Thanks. Be well

Miriam

kok328 · 02-10-2009, 01:52 PM

Sounds like your not getting power to the photo eye. Check this with your voltmeter.
If no power, then check for a tripped breaker or a tripped GFIC outlet that may be interrupting power to the photo eye and therefore not powering the outlet. This GFIC outlet will only reset under power.

brasilmom · 02-10-2009, 02:33 PM

Kok328,

That's right, we are getting no power to the photo eye and are not getting power to the GFIC. Now, as I mentioned on my original post, we are not able to locate the breaker for that and there are no tripped breaker at all. As far as we can tell there are not another GFIC breaker that may be tripped, but just now the snow has melted so we can further investigate on the outside. In the absence of a tripped breaker, what can the cause be to have no power at that outlet only?

Thanks. Be well

Miriam

kok328 · 02-10-2009, 05:34 PM

I suspect the GFIC on the base is bad.
Remove the cover plate from the GFIC outlet on the base. With a voltmeter or voltage indicator, check for power on the LINE lugs of the GFIC. Don't check for voltage through the outlet plug holes. If you have 110V power there, replace the GFIC. If you don't have power there, you'll have to track the circuit back to the house and work your way backwards checking for voltage along the way.